Improvement in steam-plows



G. SIMONSON.

Steam Plow.

No. 54,224. Patented Apr. 24, 1866. a

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIBSON SIMON SON, OF MOUNT CARMEL, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-FLOWS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, G1BsoN SrMoNsoN, of Mount Oarme],Franklin county,Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Plows; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,making part of this specification.

My invention relates to devices for starting and stopping the machine,and for changing the course thereof, and to devices for securing andpresenting the plows and earthing and unearthing the same.

A is a frame having nearly the form of a right-angled triangle, andbeing supported on traction and ground wheels B and G in rear and upon aguide-wheel, D, in front. The wheels B and O are mounted upon a commonaxle, E, journaled horizontallyin the frame, 13 being firmly keyed tosaid axle, and 0 running loosely thereupon.

The axle d of the front wheel, D, revolves in a swivel, E, Whose shank fis journaled vertically in the frame, and is surmounted by asegment-rack, G, to which gears a pinion, H, on the shaft of ahand-wheel or tiller,.I.

J is an angular or L-formed frame, called the gravitating plow-frame,hinged to the main frame A by means of universal joints at K and K, ofwhich the joint K is adjustable in height in a slot, L, in the mainframe.

From the upper part of the transverse limb of the frame J there projecteyes M, to which the upper ends of the sheaths N of the plows O arepivoted. The plows thus suspended are still further secured, and alsoadjusted in pitch, by means of perforated cheeks P and pins 19.

Properly secured to the main frame are a steam-generator, Q, andsteam-engine 1%, which may be of any approved construction.

. S is the crank-shaft, driven from the engine in the customary manner,and carrying driving-pulleys T and U.

The pulley T has a slack-belt connection with a pulley, V, on acounter-shaft, W, which shaft carries a pinion, X, gearing in aspurwheel, Y, upon the main axle.

When it is desired to propel the machine forward, an idler-pulley, Z,journaled in a yoke, a, is made to press upon the belt b by means of alever, 0, whose counter-arm 01 operates on an arm, which projects fromthe shaft f, to which the yoke a is attached.

The course of the machine is controlled by a person riding on front partof the platform,

., by means of the tiller I.

The driving-pulley U. is connected, by belt 9, to a pulley, h on ahorizontal shaft, t, having a pinion, j, which, when the wheel D hasbeen turn ed a quarter-circle out of the direct course, gears withinterior cogs, 7g, on the said wheel D, so that by starting thecrank-shaft forward or backward the front part of the machine is causedto swing either to the right or left around the traction-wheel as acenter.

Z is a shaft supported upon the main frame in two horizontal bearings, mand n, of which the bearin g m is either swiveled to the frame orsufficiently loose around the shaft to allow of a slight horizontalplay, while the bearing a is attached to a lever, 19, whose movement isin a vertical arc longitudinal of the frame.

One end of the shaft 1 carries a pulley, q, convexly cylindrical, withthe exception of a concave facet or scallop, g, which fits the peripheryof a pulley, t, on the shaft 2'. The other end of the shaft I has apulley, s, to whose periphery is attached a cord or chain, t, which,extending rearward over a pulley, u, passes downward. and is made fastto the gravitatin g plow-frame J.

The operation of the machine is as follows The desired number of plowshaving been suspended to the gravitating frame J and set to the desiredpitch by means of the adjustment of the joint K and pins 19, and steamhaving been raised and the steam engine started, the pulley q, being110w brought into contact with the pulley 1", acts to elevate thegravitating plow-frame, with its plows, clear of the ground, and to holdthem in the elevated position as long as the concave part q of thepulley q is held in contact with the pulley r. The idler-pulley Z beingnow depressed, the motive power is directed to propellingthetraction-wheel B, and the machine now moves forward in its desiredcourse, in obedience to the tiller I in the hands of the steersman.

The machine having reached the properplace for commencement of theplowing operation, the idler Z is momentarily released and the gang ofplows is allowed to descend into the ground, in which they burythemselves on the starting forward of the machine.

The end of a through having been reached, the plows are again unearthed,and the wheel D having been brought into gear with the pinion j, thesteam-engine is started backward' by means of the tiller I, so as toenable the turning of the machine to the right or left by power undercontrol of the operator.

3. The gravitati n g plow-frame J, capable of being set in or out ofpitch by means of the swiveled and adjustable joint K L.

4. The devices M N P p, for the suspension and adjustment of the plowsrelatively to the main frame.

5. The arrangement of vibrating shaft Z, lever 19, scalloped pulley q q,pulleys r, s, and u, shaft i, and chain 15, or their equivalents, forunearthing the gang of plows, in the manner explained.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

GIBSON SIMONSON. VVitnesses':

JAMES H. LAYMAN, GEO. H. KNIGHT.

